There are several complications or problems that can occur while running Ubuntu and Windows in either a dual-boot or Wubi.

Most distros (versions of linux, Ubuntu is a distro), such as the tiny sliTaz, can fix most Windows problems and there are specialist distros (such as Trinity Rescue Kit and SystemRescueCd) that can fix a lot more.

This guide assumes Ubuntu either as a LiveCd or installed on hard-drive but other distros could be used just as easily.

Wubi "Missing hal.dll"

This is a frequent error seen on Wubi installations. It leaves Windows unable to boot and complains about a missing "C:\windows\system32\hal.dll" which is the Hardware Abstraction Layer for Windows.

This problem can be fixed by using the following steps.

1. Boot-up an Ubuntu LiveCd

2. On the top taskbar click on the "Places" menu
3. Select your Windows partition (it will only be shown by its partition size)
4. Navigate to windows/system32/dllcache
5. Copy hal.dll from there to windows/system32/
6. Reboot.

The full Wubi guide is at

• https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WubiGuide

Dual Boot

Resizing Vista or Win7 Partitions

Windows 7 and Vista sometimes fails to boot easily after its partitions are resized outside of Windows. This is due to Windows using a very simplistic boot-loader. A regular file-system check is normal and to be expected on the first boot-up to Windows 7 or Vista because GParted programs Windows to do that by putting the 'dirty' flag in its file-system meta-data.

Resizing a Windows Partition in Windows

The Windows users way of resizing a Windows 7 or Vista partition is to

1. Go into the Control-Panel
2. Select "classic view" or "icon view" (you will have to look around hard for this)
3. Administrative Tools
4. Computer Management
5. Disk Manager (or something similar)
6. Right-click on the Windows partition and resize.

Resizing a Windows Partition in Linux

In the !GPartEd or !QTPartEd Partition Editors the tick-box align to cylinders must NOT be ticked because Windows 7 and Vista partitions usually start in sector 2048 instead of the normal standard sector 63. Otherwise the Windows boot-loader grumbles.

How To Recover

To recover from this boot problem, you can either

a) Boot from your recovery dvds

• Select "startup repair"

b) Download either

• For Vista : http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/

  For Windows 7 : http://neosmart.net/blog/2009/windows-7-system-repair-discs/

• Burn the ISO to a disc
• Boot up from it
• Select Startup Repair.

Links

• https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WindowsRecoveryCd

• NeoSmart Windows 7 Recovery Discs

• NeoSmart Windows Vista Recovery Discs